Artist Martin Machado tells his tale:My work reflects time spent at sea as a merchant marine, commercial fisherman, and sailor. I typically use a camera as my notebook while at sea, then recreate these experiences through the use of paint when back in the studio. The material I paint upon varies; from traditional canvas, paper, or panels, to found items such as discarded nautical charts on a containership, boxes from an abandoned Alaska fish cannery, or drift-wood found on the shore.

Currently his work is on exhibit at a gallery in Los Angeles, CA, USA!

Common themes are: the passing and compression of time, labor, leisure, theatricality, escapism, and of course-the sea.

My most recent series is inspired by 18th Century etchings resulting from French and English exploration. Painting with ink on paper, I try to replicate the aesthetic of these historical works and at times sample from the more notable imagery. Using the shipping container as a repeated symbol, I hope to jump forward to a modern era after which the effects of these first sailing expeditions has taken place.